This first contest was mainly a radio program, though there were cameras in the studio for the benefit of the few Europeans who had television. The backdrops behind the singers were, perhaps understandably, not very lavish.

It had been strongly recommended that each participating country have a preliminary national song contest. Austria, Denmark and the United Kingdom were disqualified from the final contest, however, as all of them registered after the official deadline.

All participating countries sent two jury members to Lugano, except for Luxembourg who allowed the Swiss jury to vote on their behalf. This, combined with the fact that juries were allowed to vote for any song including those of their own country, perhaps explains the success of the Swiss entry. Among the many rumors which followed the contest was one suggesting Lys Assia's other entry did not get a high placing, explaining why it was never released.